The subject matter herein relates generally to electrical connectors.
Some known connectors include cables coupled with an articulating housing. The cables hold several insulated conductors, or wires. The conductors are joined with contacts or terminals located in the housing. The housing mates with another connector having contacts to electrically couple the contacts in the two connectors. The housing articulates about a pivot axis. For example, the housing may pivot such that the housing includes a bend or angle between an end of the housing that mates with another connector and an opposite end of the housing through which the cable extends. Such connectors may be referred to as swing arm connectors.
The insulated conductors in the cables may extend through a grommet within the housing of the swing arm connectors. The grommet may include openings that individually receive the insulated conductors. Some grommets provide seals about the insulated conductors to prevent passage of contaminants through the grommet. For example, a grommet may engage and seal the insulated conductors around the peripheries of insulating jackets of the conductors. The seals between the grommet and the insulating conductors may prevent moisture from passing between the grommet and the insulating conductors and through the grommet. Such moisture can reach the contacts in the connector and may damage the contacts.
With the articulation of the housing in some swing arm connectors, the bend or angle in the housing may pull the insulated conductors in the cable at an angle with respect to the openings in the grommet. For example, the insulated conductors may be pulled in angled directions away from center axes of the openings in the grommet when the housing bends or articulates. The pulling of the insulated conductors may cause the insulated conductors to bend at or near the end of the grommet through which the insulated conductors exit. The bending of the insulated conductors may break or compromise the seals between the grommet and the insulated conductors and introduce leak paths between the grommet and the insulated conductors. Contaminants such as moisture may pass through the grommet openings by way of the leak paths.
A need exists for an articulating connector or connector that includes a bend that maintains seals between a grommet and insulated conductors extending through the connector.